Inviting a Peaceful Holiday Season

   I actually have some fun holiday related stuff to share with you guys, but I just finished reading some excellent news from my friend Nadya over at Journey Keeper (please find a  link to her wonderful blog over on the right hand column of this page; for some reason I cannot paste links here right now). Nadya has just become an accredited yoga instructor! Yay Nadya!! She has been working on this for some time, and I am so excited for her!
   Nadya's most recent blog post about mindfulness and thought control reminded me of a circular written meditation she once taught me, one that incorporates lots of blessings-counting and calm mindfulness.

   Especially at this time of year, anything that calms us down and guides us to count our blessings is worth the time spent.

   All you do is start in the center of a blank sheet of paper and slowly write one thing after another for which you feel truly grateful. Add one item, then another, curving outward as you go, until you have built a spiral of gratitude. A very personal mandala of your own life, celebrated. And for those moments that you worked on your spiral, you have deliberately focused on only good.

   In my book, focusing on life's good is powerful. It's more than just not being negative; it irrigates and feeds what's going well in your life and increases your positive movement. Being thankful shows the Source of your blessings that you appreciate those blessings and are open to more. How many times does the Bible remind us to be thankful, content, and filled with praise? How eager are you to shower someone with gifts when that person doesn't appreciate what you have already done or given?

   As the holiday momentum ramps up, chances are pretty decent that stress will build too. For different reasons, peace will wear thin. But that's okay. Before that takes hold, throughout the month, I intend to use this circular exercise to keep my heart steady and my energy focused on life and abundance, not lack.

   From materials concerns to practical holiday snags and the like... all the way to my heart's deepest waiting  I am so happy to have this plan. To have this simple, peaceful, visual way to return to contentedness over and over again. Maybe I can even think up a way to make these December meditations into holiday ornaments! LOL

   Anyway, sincere congratulations to you Nadya! I know your yoga students, as well as your own sweet little Guppy, will benefit greatly from your instruction. If South Africa were a smidge closer to Oklahoma, then I would surely make time for a few of your yoga classes. Instead, I wish you so much success. I wish for you unbridled joy and rivers and rivers of peace. Thanks for sharing your discoveries and successes with the rest of us!

Namaste
xoxoxoxo